B.C. manhunt suspects left cellphone video before they died: family

Two B.C. suspects of a Canada-wide manhunt reportedly recorded a cellphone video before they died in the dense brush near Gillam, Man.

According to Star Vancouver, a family member said Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, of Port Alberni recorded the video and that police have shown a 30-second clip to the families of both men.

That clip was apparently a “goodbye”, and a last will and testament detailing the young men’s wishes for their remains.

The family member, who hadn’t seen the video clip, said police have the rest of the video.

The B.C. RCMP would not confirm whether there is a video, nor comment on the issue.

“We have committed to providing an update in a couple of weeks,” RCMP senior media relations officer Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet said. “We have yet to determine how and when that update will be provided, however I am unable to provide any details in advance.”

McLeod and Schmegelsky had been on the run for two weeks after they were declared suspects in the deaths of 64-year-old Leonard Dyck, a botany lecturer at UBC, and tourist couple Chynna Deese, 24, of North Carolina, and Lucas Fowler, 24, of Australia.

They had been charged with second degree murder in Dyck’s death. Police have not revealed the connection to the deaths of Deese and Fowler.

Police discovered McLeod’s and Schmegelsky’s bodies in the bush on Aug. 7. Police said there were two firearms found with the bodies and autopsies noted it appeared the men shot themselves.

The pair had been alive for “multiple” days after they had been declared suspects and spotted near Gillam, Man., where search efforts were concentrated.

A Port Alberni resident who spoke with the Alberni Valley News said he was on his way home to Port Alberni when he happened to stop in the store where McLeod and Schmegelsky purchased a hunting rifle before their trip.

“I watched as the clerk shared his expertise and advised on the best cartridges to use, matched a hunting rifle to their budgets and made the sale,” he said.